Juízes 13

Juízes 13

William MacDonald - The barren womb is often a starting place in the purposes of God. He calls life out of death and uses the things that “are not” to confound the things that are (1Co 1:26-31+) (ED: AND ALL GOD'S CHILDREN SHOUT HALLELUJAH! THANK YOU JESUS!). (See context in Believer's Bible Commentary or borrow this book Believer's Bible Commentary) Barren (Childlessness, Infertile, Sterile) - Regarded as a Misfortune or a Reproach: Ge 11:30, Ge 15:2, Ge 16:2, Ge 29:32, Ge 30:1-3, 13 Jdg 13:2 1Sa 1:2, 6 2Sa 6:23 2Ki 4:14 Isa 4:1 Lk 1:7-+, Lk 1:25+, Lk 20:29+ THOUGHT - Bishop Hall - ‘If Manoah’s wife had not been barren, the Angel had not been sent to her. Afflictions have this advantage, that they occasion God to show that mercy to us, whereof the prosperous are incapable.’ Bush - Was barren and bare not. An emphatic repetition in varied phrase, of frequent occurrence in the sacred writers. Thus Ge. 11:30, ‘Sarai was barren; she had no child.’ Jn 1:3, ‘All things were made by him, and without him was not an thing made that was made.’ Jn 1:20, (resource) A R Fausset - And there was a certain man of Zorah [originally of Judah, in the Shephelah, or low rolling hills between the mountains and plains (Josh. 15:33; ‘valley,’ Hebr., Shephelah): subsequently assigned to Dan (Josh. 19:41) as a suitable border fortress: now Sur’ah, just below the brow of a sharp conical tell at the shoulder of the ranges which form the north side of the Wady Ghurab. Manoah possibly commanded the military post at “the camp of Dan” (i.e., the encampment of the Danite emigrants (Jdg 18:8, 11, 12) between Zorah and Eshtaol (Jdg 13:25): a check on the Philistines, who were in force three miles off at Timnath (Jdg 14:1–4, 15:6). Samson’s birthplace and the family burial-place was between Zorah and Eshtaol (Jdg 16:31). The charge to Samson not to drink wine, or eat what came of the vine, was the severer test of faith, because Zorah and the neighbourhood were famed for their choice vines (Jdg 15:5, 16:4; Gen. 49:11, Hebrew], of the family of the Danites [‘family’ is used for ‘tribe’; for all the Danites form one family, the Shuhamites (Numb. 26:42, 43). In Samson Jacob’s prophecy was to be fulfilled, “Dan shall judge his people” (Gen. 49:16)], whose name (was) Manoah; and his wife (was) barren, and bare not. (commentary) Barren (06135) 'aqar refers to the state of not being fertile or not being able to become pregnant. The recurring theme of the barren mother is familiar in biblical history Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, the mother of Samson, and Hannah are chief examples of this situation (Ge 11:30; 25:21; 29:31; Jdg 13:2, 3; 1Sa 2:5). God is often mentioned as the one who brought about this condition and/or the one who overcomes miraculously opening the wombs of Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel and enabling them to give birth to sons (Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Benjamin) who played a significant role in Israel's history. In light of the prior use of this type scene one might expect Manoah's wife's child to be important, like Isaac, whose birth was announced in a special manner (Ge 17-18). Aqar - 11v - Gen. 11:30; Gen. 25:21; Gen. 29:31; Exod. 23:26; Deut. 7:14; Jdg. 13:2; Jdg. 13:3; 1 Sam. 2:5; Job 24:21; Ps. 113:9; Isa. 54:1 DAN, TRIBE OF [ISBE] (dan, "judge"; Dan). 1. Name: The fifth of Jacob's sons, the first borne to him by Bilhah, the maid of Rachel, to whom, as the child of her slave, he legally belonged. At his birth Rachel, whose barrenness had been a sore trial to her, exclaimed "God hath judged me .... and hath given me a son," so she called his name Dan, i.e. "judge" (Gen 30:6). He was full brother of Naphtali. In Jacob's Blessing there is an echo of Rachel's words, "Dan shall judge his people" (Gen 49:16). Of the patriarch Dan almost nothing is recorded. Of his sons at the settlement in Egypt only one, Hushim, is mentioned (Gen 46:23). The name in Nu 26:42 is Shuham. 2. The Tribe: The tribe however stands second in point of numbers on leaving Egypt, furnishing 62,700 men of war (Nu 1:39); and at the second census they were 64,400 strong (Nu 26:43). The standard of the camp of Dan in the desert march, with which were Asher and Naphtali, was on the north side of the tabernacle (Nu 2:25; 10:25; compare Josh 6:9 the King James Version margin, "gathering host"). The prince of the tribe was Ahiezer (Nu 1:12). Among the spies Dan was represented by Ammiel the son of Gemalli (Nu 13:12). Of the tribe of Dan was Oholiab (the King James Version "Aholiab") one of the wise-hearted artificers engaged in the construction of the tabernacle (Ex 31:6). One who was stoned for blasphemy was the son of a Danite woman (Lev 24:10 f). At the ceremony of blessing and cursing, Dan and Naphtali stood on Mount Ebal, while the other Rachel tribes were on Gerizim (Dt 27:13). The prince of Dan at the division of the land was Bukki the son of Jogli (Nu 34:22). 3. Territory: The portion assigned to Dan adjoined those of Ephraim, Benjamin and Judah, and lay on the western slopes of the mountain. The reference in Jdg 5:17: "And Dan, why did he remain in ships?" seems to mean that on the West, Dan had reached the sea. But the passage is one of difficulty. We are told that the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain (Jdg 1:34), so they did not enjoy the richest part of their ideal portion, the fertile plain between the mountain and the sea. The strong hand of the house of Joseph kept the Amorites tributary, but did not drive them out. Later we find Dan oppressed by the Philistines, against whom the heroic exploits of Samson were performed (Jdg 14 ff). The expedition of the Danites recorded in Jdg 18 is referred to in Josh 19:47 ff. QUESTION - What can we learn from the tribe of Dan? ANSWER - The tribe of Dan was the group of people who descended from the fifth son of Jacob, Dan. Jacob had twelve sons who became the patriarchs of the twelve tribes of Israel. The history of the tribe of Dan is especially instructive to us in that it contains multiple examples of the tendency of people to follow man-made religion over biblical faith in God. This is totally contrary to the Scriptures that teach us “no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law” (Romans 3:20) and “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). As the Israelites came into the land of Canaan, by lot certain areas of territory were assigned to each tribe. The tribe of Dan was given a tract of land that was smaller than the other land grants but was fertile and also had a boundary along the Mediterranean Sea where there was fishing and commerce available to them. However, the tribe of Dan never fully conquered this area as a result of a lack of faith in God. This was true of the other tribes as well, as the early chapters of the book of Judges clearly teach, and led to a time during the period of Judges where it was said, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Judges 18:1–31 tells the story of the people of Dan falling into idolatry. They also did not like the territory that was theirs, so they sent out spies to find a better area. In the north, some representatives of Dan learned of an area where a peaceful group of people lived. The tribe of Dan took things into their own hands and wiped out the people of that land so they could then move the entire tribe up to a region close to the sources of the Jordan River, just south of present-day Lebanon. There they established their main city and called it Dan. Later in the history of the Hebrews, the kingdom was divided after the reign of Solomon. The kingdom split into Israel’s ten tribes in the north and Judah’s two in the south. The people of Dan were in the northern kingdom of Israel. We learn in 1 Kings 12:25–33 that King Jeroboam was afraid that those who lived in his kingdom in the north would still go down to the southern kingdom to worship at Jerusalem, since that was where the temple that God had authorized was located. So Jeroboam built two additional altars for the people of his nation to worship. He established worship in the south at Bethel and in the north at Dan. He built a golden calf at each location and instituted special days and feasts when people would meet. Sadly, this man-made worship at Dan has been one of its lasting legacies. Today, many people follow various man-made religions and are convinced that all ways lead to God. Unfortunately, these groups follow the ways of the tribe of Dan. Proverbs 16:25 tells us that “there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Jesus taught that the way to God was specific when He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by Me” (John 14:6). John 3:36 teaches that “he who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” To learn from the mistakes of Dan would be to worship the God of the Bible alone and live for Him by faith.GotQuestions.org Related Resources: Who was Dan in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org Why is the tribe of Dan missing from the 144,000 in Revelation chapter 7? | GotQuestions.org Manoah - Holman Bible Dictionary American Tract Society Manoah Easton's Bible Dictionary Manoah Fausset Bible Dictionary Manoah Hitchcock Bible Names Manoah Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible Manoah Morrish Bible Dictionary Manoah Hawker's Poor Man's Dictionary Manoah Watson's Theological Dictionary Manoah International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Manoah Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Manoah McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia Manoah Torrey's Topic The Tribe of Dan Descended from Jacob’s fifth son -Genesis 30:6 Predictions respecting -Genesis 49:16,17; Deuteronomy 33:22 PERSONS SELECTED FROM To number the people -Numbers 1:12 To spy out the land -Numbers 13:12 To divide the land -Numbers 34:22 Strength of, on leaving Egypt -Numbers 1:38,39 Led the fourth and last division of Israel -Numbers 2:31; 10:25 Encamped north of the tabernacle -Numbers 2:25 Offering of, at dedication -Numbers 7:66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71 Families of -Numbers 26:42 Strength of, entering Canaan -Numbers 26:43 On Ebal, said amen to the curses -Deuteronomy 27:13 Bounds of its inheritance -Joshua 19:40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 A commercial people -Judges 5:17; Ezekiel 27:19 Restricted to the hills by Amorites -Judges 1:34 A PART OF Sent to seek new settlements -Judges 18:1,2 Tool Laish and called it Dan -Joshua 19:47; Jdg 18:8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13,27, 28, 29 Plundered Michah of his idols and his ephod -Judges 18:17, 18, 19, 20, 21,27 Set up Micah’s idols in Dan -Judges 18:30,31 Reproved for not aiding against Sisera -Judges 5:17 Samson was of -Judges 13:2,24,25 Some of, at coronation of David -1 Chronicles 12:35 Ruler appointed over, by David -1 Chronicles 27:22 COMPARISON BETWEEN SAMSON AND JOHN THE BAPTIST - It is fascinating to compare these two men... Barren Manoah and his wife, with the barren NT couple, Zacharias and Elizabeth, Both promised a son who would have "Nazirite-like" credentials. Both Samson and John were endued with Holy Spirit power. But that is where the parallel breaks down for while Samson failed to reach his potential as Israel's deliverer, John did not, instead boldly crying out as a voice in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord the Deliverer of all mankind! One final parallel is that in the end, both men were martyred! Ray Pritchard introduces his 5 part series with the title Most Likely to Succeed The Man Who Might Have Been - Today we begin the study of one of the strangest characters in all the Bible. His name and his exploits are well-known, but the man himself remains a mystery. Of his life it could truly be said that he had unlimited potential. No man in all the Bible started out with as much going for him; no man ended with less. Without question, he would have been voted by his classmates Most Likely to Succeed. He had it all and he let it all get away from him. His name is Samson. His story is found in the Old Testament book of Judges. In four chapters the writer tells us about his rise and fall. It is a story rich in human drama—full of love and sex and intrigue and violence and passion and strange twists of fate. The four chapters break down this way: Judges 13—His miraculous birth Judges 14—His untimely wedding Judges 15—His battlefield heroics Judges 16—His tragic death As I said, almost everyone knows this story. Samson's feats are legendary—how he killed 1,000 Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey, how he set fire to the wheat fields by putting a torch in the tails of 150 pairs of foxes, how he killed 30 men to pay off a gambling debt. Surely all of us know the story of his tragic, heroic death when he destroyed the Philistine temple by pushing apart the pillars. If his feats are legendary, so are his flaws. His greatest flaw was a weakness for women. He could never say no to a good-looking woman, a fact that repeatedly got him into trouble and eventually cost him his life. The woman who took him down—Delilah—has become a symbol for the seductive female. What we see in Samson is a bristling bundle of contradictions: He was a man of faith with a weakness for women. He was a man of prayer given to uncontrollable fits of anger. He was a leader of Israel who lusted after Philistine women. He was a man of God who lacked common sense. That's Samson—"a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma." He is listed in Hebrews 11 as a man of faith, yet he slept with a harlot. How do you figure it? (Excerpt from Most Likely to Succeed - you will be edified if you read the full message) If the basic problem of Judges is that “everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Jdg 21:25) then Samson is the supreme personal example of that ungodly attitude. Judges 13: Most Likely to Succeed Judges 14: Out of Control Judges 14-16 Samson and the Fine Art of Self-Control Judges 15: How an Angry Man Gets Even Judges 16:1-3 Little Steps to a Big Fall Judges 16:1-22: Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places Judges 16:23-31: The Comeback Kid Samson contrasted with Samuel Comparing and contrasting the lives of Samson ("sunlight" or "sun-like") and Samuel ("heard of God") reveals several interesting points: Samuel was totally committed to God Samson was victorious only in his death because he was controlled by his passion Both were raised by godly parents, Both of their mothers were barren, Both lived in days of the moral anarchy of Judges Samson was probably "judging" Israel during time that Samuel was ministering to the LORD at the Tabernacle in Shiloh under the tutelage of Eli the High Priest so their lives overlapped), Both had a call to a separated life (Angel of LORD instructed Manoah's wife to raise him a NAZARITE to God [Jdg13:5], and Hannah vowed to give Samuel to the LORD all the days of his life and that no razor would ever come on his head which also sounds like a NAZARITE VOW although Samuel is never specifically called a Nazarite [1Sa 1:11]), Samuel ministered to the LORD (this phrase is used 3x to describe Samuel in his youth [1Sa 2:11, 2:18, 3:1) and finally heard the voice of the LORD but we have no similar record of Samson ever having intimate fellowship with the LORD; Samson received the Spirit of the LORD for strength; the LORD actually spoke with Samuel (1Sa 3:4, 6, v8, 11f) and revealed HIMSELF to him (1Sa 3:21) Both were Judges (Samuel also prophet) but only Samuel fulfilled the function of the judge to be a deliverer (Jdg 2:18). Both had the Philistines as their main ENEMY Samson was defeated by the Philistines & had only partial success; Samuel defeated the Philistines after 40 years of rule and brought peace to the land. (1Sa 7:10, 13, 15). Samson rebelled against the AUTHORITY of God and his parents; Samuel submitted to AUTHORITY, submitting to God, his parents (who had dedicated him to the LORD ALL the days of his life [1Sa 1:11]) and Eli. Samson DISOBEYED. Samuel OBEYED. Samuel was a PROPHET and called Israel to REPENT from their idolatry; Samson was a PRODIGAL & promoted compromise and collaboration with the uncircumcised Philistines and did not confront Israel for her idolatry. Samson's PRAYERS were primarily self serving (Jdg 15:18, 16:28); Samuel's were for the salvation of Israel (1Sa 7:5, 8, 9,10). God answered both of their prayers! Samson was a LONER; Samuel was a LEADER. Some would say Ehud was a loner also but that is not completely true as he was the LEADER of the sons of Israel in the pursuit of the Moabites (Jdg 3:12-26, 27, 28, 29, 30). Samson broke every NAZARITE VOW; Samuel appears to have remained dedicated to the LORD all his life thus fulfilling the vow of his mother Hannah. Samson manifested WEAKNESSES in the lust of his flesh, the lust of his eyes and the boastful pride of life; Samuel was a man dependent on God and there is no record of similar weakness in his life. Sadly his sons "did not walk in his ways" even his first born name Joel (1Sa 8:3, 5). Samson did what was right in his own eyes (the very Hebrew phrase used of his lust for the Philistine woman Jdg 14:3, 7); Samuel was dedicated to the LORD. Samson's life ended tragically and ignominiously without mourning by Israel; All Israel MOURNED when Samuel died (1Sa 25:1) Samson in many ways is a tragic picture of the entire nation of Israel —born by special divine provision, consecrated to the Lord from birth and endowed with unique power among his fellowmen. The likeness is even more remarkable in light of his foolish chasing of foreign women, some of ill repute, until he was cleverly subdued by one of them. In this he exemplified Israel, who during the period of the judges constantly prostituted herself to Canaanite gods to her own destruction. Henry Rossier - A Remnant (Judges 13) The people having relapsed into unfaithfulness, were in subjection to enemies within — to the Philistines, who were established in Israel's territory. It was the last stage in the history of declension. The children of Israel no longer cried to Jehovah; submitting to this state of things, they did not even wish to be delivered from it (Jdg 15:11), and, for the sake of living quietly in their state of servitude, sought to get rid of their liberator. The time of total apostasy was at hand. In the midst of this irremediable state of things, God separated a godly remnant, and addressed his communications to them. Manoah and his wife feared Jehovah, listened to His voice and spake to one another (cf. Mal. 3:16), a striking type of the remnant — of the Marys, and Elizabeths, and Annas, and Zacharias, and Simeons — that waited for the true Messiah, the Saviour of Israel; type also of the future remnant, who, passing through the tribulation, will follow the paths of righteousness, waiting for the coming of their King. Samson, the deliverer of Israel, found at his birth, not a people that welcomed him, but this godly couple who believed in his mission. The Lord, rejected by the people from the time of His arrival on the scene, found only a few faithful souls with whom He could enter into association, those excellent of the earth mentioned in Ps 16:3 (Spurgeon's note), in whom He found His delight. Times of irremediable ruin are then the times of remnants; this, consequently, applies to the present period of the church — a period foretold by the Sovereign Prophet to His disciples, when He spoke to them of an assembly reduced to two or three gathered to the true centre, to the name of Christ, during His absence. This period is mentioned in Revelation, when — in presence of the idolatry of Thyatira, the deadness of Sardis, and the nauseating lukewarmness of Laodicea — the approbation of Him that is holy, of Him that is true, is pronounced upon the feeble separated remnant of Philadelphia. That which characterizes a remnant at all times is Nazariteship, entire "separation unto the Lord." The angel of Jehovah appearing unto the wife of Manoah, said to her: "Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not; but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son. Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing" (Jdg 13:3, 4). This woman had to take upon herself Nazariteship, because she was the vessel chosen of God to present to the people the promised deliverer. "For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head; for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines" (Jdg 13:5). The Nazariteship of Samson involved that of his mother. In order to do honour to the deliverer of Israel, it was needful for his witnesses to bear before the eyes of all, the impress of his own character. This is true at all times. If we do not manifest Christ down here in His character of entire separation to God, we are not witnesses for our Saviour. Christ having come, permanent Nazariteship should characterize the saints as it does the Lord; and the more the ruin increases, the more apparent will this become. The second epistle of Timothy, which tells us of the last days, is full of the characteristics of Nazariteship. In Judges 2:19, it is the Nazarite withdrawing from iniquity; in Judges 2:21, it is his purifying himself for God; in Judges 3:10, 11, and Judges 4:5, 6, 7, it is, as the servant of God, walking in forgetfulness of self and in absolute dependence on the Lord. Is it not the Nazarite who speaks in 2Co 4:7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12? In Judges 6 through Jdg 7:1, of this same epistle we again find the principal traits of Nazariteship; reproach and self-forgetfulness in Jdg 13:4-10; separation from all association with the world in Jdg 13:14, 15; cleansing from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit in Judges 7:1. Quotations might be multiplied. What it is important to establish is, that there is for us, neither walk. nor testimony, nor service, without Nazariteship; that is to say, without devotedness and separation to God. In Jdg 13:6, Manoah's wife told her husband about the angel's visit: "A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible; but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name." This poor woman had but little intelligence; she knew neither whence the angel came nor who he was, nor did she ask him, proving how slight was her acquaintance with God. Far from giving her confidence, the presence of the God of promises frightened her, for she only saw the countenance of the angel to be "very terrible." Manoah himself, a man of sincere piety, had little understanding, but he desired more. He wished to know "what to do unto the child" (v. 8), then, "what shall he do" (Jdg 13:12, margin). Instead of answering his questions, the angel of Jehovah said to him: "Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware. She may not eat of anything that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing; all that I commanded her let her observe" (Jdg 13:13, 14). Why? Because knowledge is not the first thing that God requires. Neither it, nor even true piety, such as was found in Manoah and his wife, is sufficient to keep us in the midst of the ruin. That which was needed for them before knowledge was true personal separation to God, a separation which had as its pattern and measure the Nazariteship of him who was about to appear. Other truths too — the portion of Christ's witnesses in a day of declension — are revealed to us here. "Manoah said unto the angel of Jehovah, What is thy name … And the angel of Jehovah said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is wonderful (margin). So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered them upon a rock unto Jehovah; and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on" (Jdg 13:17, 18, 19). In reviewing the history of the different epochs of this book, we find that to each revival there are certain corresponding principles which characterize it. The times of Othniel, Ehud, Barak, Gideon and Jephthah, each furnishes us with some new principle; but God reserves the most precious truths of all for the last days of ruin, hidden until then and wonderful. How worthy of the God of love is such a way of acting! Knowing the difficulties of His own in the midst of increasing unfaithfulness and wishing to attract their hearts in the midst of this darkness, He brings to light and confides to His witnesses truths more and more glorious. The starting point of these truths is the sacrifice. Manoah, more intelligent than Gideon (cf. Judges 6:19), took the kid with the meat offering, and offered them upon a rock unto Jehovah. The cross is the foundation of all our knowledge as children of God. Manoah was desirous of knowing many things which Jehovah could not reveal to him before the sacrifice. But this foundation once laid, the angel did wondrously, which doubtless was revealed, in a manner still obscure and symbolical, to the eyes of this poor remnant who were waiting for a Saviour. "For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of Jehovah ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on" (Jdg 13:20). They found in the fire of the sacrifice a new way, not opened up hitherto, a way for the representative of Jehovah to ascend to Him; and, their gaze fixed on the angel, they saw a glorious person, whose dwelling place they knew now that he had disappeared from before their eyes. Then only, "Manoah knew that it was an angel of Jehovah" (Jdg 13:21). The heart and the interests of this poor remnant were at that moment withdrawn from this world, and followed the angel, ascending with him to heaven. These simple believers could thenceforth speak of a path which led to heaven, and of a person who was there, who had become their object while they were still here below. In this wonderful act another thing was revealed, not for Manoah, but for us: the future character of this Nazariteship of which the angel had spoken to them. It is now heavenly, as we have above remarked. The angel in parting from them went up into heaven. The Lord Jesus, rejected by the world, said: "For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth" (John 17:19). Set apart in heaven, He attracts us after, and fixes our eyes upon, Himself; in order that the heavenly character of the One whom the world has rejected may be reproduced in us here below. In presence of this revelation, so instructive for us, but of which Manoah and his wife had but a faint glimpse, they "fell on their faces to the ground" (Jdg 13:20). And shall not we, in the midst of increasing darkness, adore in fuller measure, the God who has revealed to us, not only a heavenly and glorified Christ, but our place in Him, and has given Him to us as an object that we may reflect Him more perfectly in this world? Such are the blessings given to fill our hearts with joy and gratitude. How many Christians there are, who, seeking a place in the world, walk down here with bowed heads as they see the state of things around them, and vex their souls from day to day, as just Lot did of old — but such is not our part; we are not called to be Lots, nor to act like him down here. Our portion is with Abraham, the friend of God, who was not disheartened by the ruin. As a Nazarite he kept his place on his high mountain, his eyes fixed — not on Sodom, but — on the city which hath foundations. Jesus said of him: "Abraham rejoiced to see My day; and he saw it and was glad" (John 8:56). Ah! rather than be discouraged, let us praise God, and thank Him for the heavenly treasure He has given us in Christ. Like so many Christians of the present day, Manoah was filled with fear when he found himself in the presence of God. "He said to his wife, we shall surely die, because we have seen God" (Jdg 13:22). His companion was a true helpmeet for him. Is there any room for fear, said she, when God has accepted our offering? The love of God, proved to us at the cross. is the positive guarantee for everything else. "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" (Ro. 8:32-note) Judges 13:3 Then the Angel of the LORD appeared to the woman, and said to her, "Behold now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and give birth to a son. Then the Angel of the LORD appeared to the woman Jdg 2:1; 6:11,12; Ge 16:7-13; Luke 1:11,28-38 but you shall conceive and give birth to a son - Ge 17:16; 18:10; 1Sa 1:20; 2Ki 4:16; Lk 1:13,31 Judges 13 Resources THE GOOD TIDINGS FROM THE MESSENGER OF YAHWEH Then the Angel (malak) of the LORD appeared to the woman - Keep in mind the ancient world was an "androcentric" culture, so for the woman to be selected as the recipient of this great news is another reminder that God is NOT a misogynist! As one can readily discern from carefully studying the context of Judges 13, this Angel is no ordinary (created) angel, but all indicators point to the fact that this Angel is the pre-incarnate representation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice the greatest number of appearances of the Angel of the LORD in the book of Judges, which describe some of the darkest days in Israel's entire history. Note like a number of other women in the book of Judges, she goes unnamed. The Angel of the LORD - (see study of this important OT phrase - Angel of the LORD). Here are all the OT uses of this phrase in the ESV - Ge 16:7, 9, 10, 11, 22:11, 15; Ex 3:2; Nu 22:22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 31, 32, 34, 35, Jdg 2:1, 4; 5:23; 6:11, 12, 21, 22; 13:3, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21; 2Sa 24:16; 1Ki 19:7; 2Ki 1:3, 15; 19:35; 1Chr 21:12, 15, 16, 18, 30; Ps 34:7; 35:5, 6; Isa 37:36; Zec 1:11, 12; 3:1, 5, 6; 12:8. I agree with Dave Guzik who offers the following interpretation of the Angel noting that "As seen before in the Book of Judges (Jdg 2:1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and Jdg 6:11, 12, 13-20, 21, 22, 23, 24), this is Jesus on a special mission, appearing as a man before His incarnation in Bethlehem." (Judges 13) As Warren Wiersbe said "when God wants to do something really great in His world, He doesn’t send an army but an Angel. The Angel of the LORD visits a couple and promises to send them a baby. His great plan of salvation got underway when He called Abraham and Sarah and gave them Isaac. When He wanted to deliver Israel from Egyptian bondage, God sent baby Moses to Amram and Jochebed (Ex 6:20) and when in later years Israel desperately needed revival, God gave baby Samuel to Hannah (1Sa 1:14-20). When the fullness of time arrived (Ga 4:4), God gave Baby Jesus to Mary; and that baby grew up to die on the cross for the sins of the world....We have every reason to believe the "Angel of the LORD" who visited Manoah's wife was Jesus Christ, the Son of God (see Ge. 22:1-18; 31:11-13; Ex. 3:1-6; Judg. 6:11-24). Like Sarah (Gen. 18:9-15), Hannah (1Sa 1), and Elizabeth (Luke 1:5-25), Manoah's wife was barren and never expected to have a child. Since it would be the mother who would have the greatest influence on the child, both before and after birth, the angel solemnly charged her what to do. (See the context in The Bible Exposition Commentary) George Bush adds that this is "The uncreated angel, the Angel Jehovah, so often spoken of in the preceding narrative, and who appeared to Moses, to Joshua, to Gideon, and others. Evidence of this will disclose itself as we proceed." (resource) And said to her, "Behold (hinneh), now, you are barren ('aqar) and have borne no children, but (a wonderful term of contrast - change of direction!) you shall conceive and give birth to a son. - NET = "You are infertile and childless, but you will conceive and have a son." (Jdg 13:3NET) NIV = "You are sterile and childless" (Jdg 13:3NIV) The Angel bestows a blessing to a barren one that she would bear a child and not just a child but a son. Son's were highly prized in the ancient world. This would have brought great joy to the woman, but He will add some "caveats" in the following passages. It is notable that her husband Manoah is not present initially. This is much like when an angel appeared to the virgin Mary with good tidings. The announcements of the births of Ishmael (Ge 16:11), Isaac (Ge 18:10), Immanuel (Isa 7:14), John the Baptist (Lk 1:13) and Jesus (Lk 1:31). This promise came as a great blessing to this woman burdened by childlessness. In First Samuel God gave a similar message through the priest Eli… Then Eli answered and said (to Hannah), "Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of Him." 18 And she said, "Let your maidservant find favor in your sight." So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. 19 Then they arose early in the morning and worshiped before the LORD, and returned again to their house in Ramah. And Elkanah had relations with Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her. 20 And it came about in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, "Because I have asked him of the LORD." (1Sa 1:17-20) Behold (02009)(hinneh) is an interjection meaning behold, look, now; if. "It is used often and expresses strong feelings, surprise, hope, expectation, certainty, thus giving vividness depending on its surrounding context." (Baker) Hinneh generally directs our mind to the text, imploring the reader to give it special attention. In short, the Spirit is trying to arrest our attention! Hinneh is translated in the Septuagint with the interjection idou (strictly speaking a command in the second person aorist imperative, middle voice) a demonstrative particle (used 1377 times in the Septuagint and NT) which is found especially in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke "and giving a peculiar vivacity to the style by bidding the reader or hearer to attend to what is said: "Behold! See! Lo!" (Thayer) The command is calling for urgent attention. Do this now! Don't delay! It could be loosely paraphrased "Pay attention!" or "Listen up!" to arouse attention and introduce a new and extraordinary fact of considerable importance.